Four clubs that could shift their focus from the Stanley Cup to the draft lottery

Francis Wallace/Getty ImagesConnor McDavid is projected as a potential franchise-altering player at the top of the 2015 draft.

The 2014-15 NHL season will have an added dynamic that the league has not seen since Mario Lemieux was set to enter the 1984 draft: This season, teams will have the next generational player on their mind. The presence of Erie Otters forward Connor McDavid in the 2015 draft will affect decision-making by teams who expect to be in the hunt for the top pick.

A close look at these teams' statistics suggests that they may not be as good as expected, and by the trade deadline, they could be thinking more about improving their lottery odds than winning the Stanley Cup. We'll make reference throughout to goals versus threshold (GVT), a Hockey Prospectus proprietary statistic; for more on GVT, click here. All other advanced stats are courtesy of ExtraSkater.com.